1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image printing device with a recording head, where the recording head is disposed in a casing of the device opposite to a pressure roller, with a sheet feed aperture contained in the upper side of the casing, where a sheet draw-in channel leads from the sheet feed aperture to the pressure roller, and with a sheet ejection channel, which leads from the pressure roller up to a sheet ejection aperture contained in the upper side of the casing.
2. Brief Description of the Background of the Invention Including Prior Art
Such an image printing device is known from the German Printed Patent document DE-A-3,539,526 and is formed as a parallel operating thermal transfer printer. A line-shaped recording head is disposed within a casing of the thermal transfer printer. A pressure roller is disposed opposite to the recording head in an axially parallel alignment. An ink ribbon cassette can be inserted into the casing. An ink ribbon is stored in the ink ribbon cassette on two winding bobbins, disposed axially parallel to the pressure roller. The ink ribbon section of the ink ribbon, disposed in each case between the two winding bobbins, runs between the recording head and the pressure roller. The ink ribbon cassette includes in the area of the upper side of the casing a window-shaped opening, serving simultaneously as a sheet feed aperture and as a sheet ejection aperture. An individual sheet to be printed can be inserted through the window-shaped opening into a sheet draw-in slot formed by the ink ribbon and the pressure roller. The individual sheet is guided by the rotating pressure roller past the recording head, accompanied by intermediate dispositioning of the ink ribbon. The individual sheet is printed on by the recording head and, subsequently, the individual sheet is lead through the window-shaped opening out of the known image printing device.
Only a manual feed of individual sheets to be printed is possible in connection with the known image printing device. However, an automatic separation and feed of individual sheets of a sheet storage is not provided.
An image printing device is known from the European Printed Patent document EP-A-0,106,801. This image printing device can be provided with an attachment, which can be put on top of the casing of the device, for an automatic feeding of individual sheets from a sheet storage. The top attachment exhibits an inclined disposed sheet storage cassette with a sheet separating device and a sheet deposit for receiving the individual sheets after they have been printed. The construction height level of the known apparatus is determined substantially by the top attachment. Moreover, the top attachment has to be handled separately as an addition to the device.
Finally, an image printing device is known from the German Printed Patent document DE-A-3,504,029. A sheet storage cassette can be inserted horizontally like a drawer into the casing of the device. Since the sheet storage cassette requires an apparatus base area corresponding at least to the size of the individual sheets to be printed, this known device also exhibits a relatively large construction volume.
Up to now, automatic individual sheet feed devices have not become known for the above reasons, in particular in connection with so-called laptop apparatus, which are characterized by a particularly compact construction and which can be transported like a briefcase or which can be transported in such a briefcase.